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DC prospects?

Hi, everyone. This is my first post. I just started at CU and was wondering if there are any of our grads (or anyone else who might know) floating around these forums who might give me a heads up about what to expect in the job market down the road. I'm guessing from the little bit of research I've done that Big Law is only really something that the top 10-25 percent of the class has much chance with (I know Law Review, etc also matters). Obviously, I'll try to be at the top, but so will everyone else, no doubt. Do medium sized DC firms hire many of our grads, and what is the average starting salary at such a medium sized firm? I know that's a lot of questions, but I'll very much appreciate any information anyone might have.

Go to your career services office and ask for an OCI list with GPA cutoffs for law firms interviewing 2Ls this fall. They should be able to print something out. If not, talk to 3Ls (who might be helpful) or recent graduates of your school (who probably have a better idea).

It seems to me that the DC market, at least based on the firm I'm going to after graduation (though I'm not going to DC), is highly selective. The offices just tend to be smaller. Pedigree also matters a lot in that town. Plus, as most of the prestigious firms' DC offices focus on Supreme Court, high level regulatory, and international work, the bar is set even higher.

The earlier poster was correct in stating that, from Colorado, you would need to be more like top 5-10% (and closer to top 5%). You will need to be one of the top 2 or 3 (students, not percent) at Catholic to even get a screening interview at a top DC office (unless you know somebody).

If it's any consolation, I met a guy this past summer (he wasn't a summer with me, I met him socially) who was top 5% at Catholic after 1L and transfered to T14.

It seems to me that the DC market, at least based on the firm I'm going to after graduation (though I'm not going to DC), is highly selective. The offices just tend to be smaller. Pedigree also matters a lot in that town. Plus, as most of the prestigious firms' DC offices focus on Supreme Court, high level regulatory, and international work, the bar is set even higher.

The earlier poster was correct in stating that, from Colorado, you would need to be more like top 5-10% (and closer to top 5%). You will need to be one of the top 2 or 3 (students, not percent) at Catholic to even get a screening interview at a top DC office (unless you know somebody).

If it's any consolation, I met a guy this past summer (he wasn't a summer with me, I met him socially) who was top 5% at Catholic after 1L and transfered to T14.

This is incorrect. Top 10-15% at CUA will land you a biglaw job in DC. It is true that you'll have problems outside DC because CUA has a regional reputation. Within the District, however, they place very competitively.

Hi, everyone. This is my first post. I just started at CU and was wondering if there are any of our grads (or anyone else who might know) floating around these forums who might give me a heads up about what to expect in the job market down the road. I'm guessing from the little bit of research I've done that Big Law is only really something that the top 10-25 percent of the class has much chance with (I know Law Review, etc also matters). Obviously, I'll try to be at the top, but so will everyone else, no doubt. Do medium sized DC firms hire many of our grads, and what is the average starting salary at such a medium sized firm? I know that's a lot of questions, but I'll very much appreciate any information anyone might have.

do you have any ties to the region? if you're not from DC and you don't have anything on your resume that involves DC it may be nearly impossible for you to get a biglaw job there.

When I was looking last year, most of the DC big law firms (off the top of my head - Akin, Hogan, Bingham, White and Case, Willkie, Goodwin, etc...) came to campus and interviewed the top 10-15%. Some of the bigger names (A&P, Sullivan, Covington, Wilmer, Williams & Connelly, etc...) all did resume drops for the top 5-10%. I was surprised actually.

Like I said, you will struggle to find work outside DC (not impossible, but difficult unless you have a connection) but you don't need to be ranked in the top 1% to get the best DC firms.